The 53-times capped coach was in charge of England between 1996-1999, but has not been in management since a two-year stint at Wolves ended in 2006.

"If I were to die tomorrow, my life would be incomplete," he told The Independent, referring to his previous stint in charge.

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"Would I get that opportunity (to manage England again)? Probably not. But I don't dwell on the past and, if we fast-forward to the present, I think we have a batch of players capable of going to the Euros and doing well. I find it a very interesting moment.

"I find it a very interesting moment. Because Stuart Pearce, Harry Redknapp, Roy Hodgson, myself – anyone – who went to the tournament with the status of a caretaker would have the pressure off him and the players would be liberated too."

England 2-2 Argentina, 1998 World Cup, second round

A classy footballer in his career, Hoddle is one of the most positive coaches England have had since Alf Ramsey.

Very much a manager who moulded his teams idealistically, he nevertheless saw off Italy's catenaccio and experience to qualify as group winners for the France 98 World Cup with a 3-5-2 formation.

But his eventful tenure as England coach ended in controversy. He was sacked by the FA after he made remarks about the disabled being punished for sins in a previous life. His comments prompted such opprobrium from within the UK, that even Richard and Judy asked Prime Minister Tony Blair for his views.

But disabled-rights campaigner Lord Ashley labelled the reaction to Hoddle's comments a "witch-hunt" which culminated in a "sad day for British tolerance and freedom of speech".

Remembering Rome 1997 and that night in St Etienne, it's time to delve into the archives to recall Hoddle's England era in pictures...